The development of carbon dioxide capture legislation in the UK

Abstract

Through the EU directive on the geological storage of carbon dioxide (directive 2009/31/EC) it is now required that developers of power plants with an electrical output of 300 MW or more carry out an assessment to determine whether the power plant could be constructed carbon dioxide capture ready. The UK is one of the first EU member states to have implemented the directive and, as such, UK government policy now places two conditions on the consenting of new fossil-fuelled power plants in the UK. This paper summarises the development and implementation of UK government policy with respect to carbon dioxide capture, with particular regard given to the implications on the consenting of new combined cycle gas turbine power plants and coal-fired power plants.